The Washington critic., 1887-12-30
TIE POSTAL TrLEGRApm.

lis hitl NlINlt VI
THE POSTAL TELEGRApH.
Tho opponents of the Postal Tele-
graph hold that it would be bad and
dangerous policy To give any political
party control Of the telegraph lines, and
that all such schemes to increase the
powers OF the Federal Government are
cncroachments upon the liberties of the
people. On the other hand the friends
and advocates of the project maintain
that il is in the interest of the people;
that the people will themselves control
the system, and rs result obtain
cheaper and better service. They point
to the postoiice US an example Of great
Federal power, and want to know IL
popular liberty is endangered by Gov
ernment control Of the mails.
IL strikes us that the friends of the
proposition have much the stronger side
of the argument, providing that the
scheme is in itself feasible and wise.
What is the Government but an aggre-
cation of Federal powers? 1t manages
the treasury, the army and navy, all the
private correspondence of the people
trusts that might be perverted to the cs-
tabishmeni Of an absolute despoism,
were the party in power disposed to take
the chances of trying il on. But who
stands III fear of the army or the navy,
or the Treasury, or the Postoflice, Dr any
other Department. Who but knows
that these vast responsibilities as n rule
are well administered, and If not, that
the faithless trustees are put out and
new ones putin? Why should anybody
be afraid to let the General Govern
ment, which exercises so many other
more tremendous powers, send his tele-
graphic messages?
GREAT BRITAIN is said to have guar
anteed Turkey against Russia, and as
sures the Porte that the equilibrium on
the Mediterranean shall not bc dis
turbed. Seasick passengers on the Med
iterranean will be glad to learn this,
even II the Tsar should happen 10 get
his nose out Of joint about it. N
The PRESIDENT denies that he will
issue another tariff message. Tariff
messages, in his opinion, are like Christ
nas-one's plenty.
II GOVERNOR Hill of New York
isn't civil-serviee reformer, then the
term is misnomcr, and the late Civil
Service Commission of that State want
TO know the reason why. The Governor
did it yesterday with his little hatchet,
simply by decapitating the Commission
ers appointed by his predecessor, Gov
ernor Cleveland, and substituting few
heads of his own - namely, General
Daniel Il. Sickles, Mr.. j. II. Manning,
the late ex-Secretary's son, and Major
Tredwell of Albany. He had requested
the Cleveland Commission to vacate the
premises last summer, but, acting under
the prevailing style Of clvil-servicc
tenure of office, they refused to be
evicted, as no cause was assigned, Then
the Governor bounced them ri ct armis,
20 to speak, and put in his friends with
out saying why the friends OF ex-Gov-
ernor Cleveland were not the friends of
Governor Hill. This is one Of the sad-
dest and most significant chapters In the
whole story. So far the matter is only
one of State Importance, but that IL has
u spreading nature is plain to every
politician, regardless of party,
The MANY FRIENDS OF Congressman
Ezra b. Taylor of Ohio, and Of his late
wife, Mrs. Eunice B, Taylor, will
deeply sympathizo with him in the grea,
affiiction which has so suddenly and
irreparably darkened his household
1t is one of those poignant and startling
SORROWS which language, even in iti
tenderest, sincerest forms Of cioquence
il inadequate to relieve, but Il may at
ford some little consolation TO the beref
husband to know that SO many hearts
are beating in mournful unison with hi,
own, and in aifeciionatc remembrance
Of the loved and lost.
NINE. SARAH BRRHHARpr's son Man
rico was married in Paris yesterday tc
the Princess Terka Jablonowska, n great
grand niece-in-law Of the First Nnpo
leon. The BRIDES father-in-law was moi
ut the wedding that anybody knew OF,
Ex-SEYAToa Ton PLAlT, after many
days, says lie committed u blunder il
resigning from the Senate. In the mean
time Roscoe Conkling does not RESPOND
me too"
TnERE IS ONE CONSOLATION about that
great raft getting lost in tic Vastly At
lantjc, and that is there was no Pros
dental timber in it, We can't get rid
of it that way, and, besides, all We hay,
is too heavy 10 tloat.
sir CAN HARDLY BE doubted" sayi
the New York Press, 'that the doom O
the hustle is sealed and al
the men will say amen,' Now VI